


Sensual Love

by GreenRoses



Category: Bleach
Genre: Boss/Employee Relationship, Denial of Feelings, F/M, Love Confessions, Love Epiphany, Romance, Tsunderes, Valentine's Day, oblivious to love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-16
Updated: 2020-11-16
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:00:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27596543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreenRoses/pseuds/GreenRoses
Summary: A scandalous gift from Shunsui unravels a string of romantic drama. Note: This fic ignores everything after Chapter 650.
Relationships: Ise Nanao/Kyouraku Shunsui
Comments: 6
Kudos: 14





	1. Exposed

**Author's Note:**

> I want to start off with a heavy disclaimer that I had started this story long before the events of Chapters 650 and 651.
> 
> Spoiler warning: I do not believe Shunsui and Nanao are related by blood. r-dahlia (Tumblr) has done an outstanding analysis of why these two are not blood-related, and I have nothing to add to what she has argued. We have strong support of a confession from Nanao in Chapter 651 (not to mention Shunsui's persistent come-ons, suggestive shenanigans, and of course the Valentine's Day omake). There is just way too much evidence between these two for a romantic pairing, so to me, it doesn't make sense that they are blood related. I have shipped this pairing since 2008, when I first discovered Bleach, and I still love the concept of this pairing. As I was doing research for this fic, and stumbled upon chapters 650 and 651, I got discouraged from publishing it because of the implications of the pairing. But at that point, I had spent many hours on this fic, and I figured, what the heck.

"Nanao-chan, your favorite color _is_ red, isn't it?"

Instead of answering the Captain, Nanao Ise continued swishing her pen across a yellow form, just one among the massive horde piled all over Shunsui Kyoraku's desk. She often took her place there when the work involved in attacking the sheaves of paper could no longer be deferred. She was all work with no breaks, and Shunsui hated it when she ignored him.

"I haven't forgotten, but I just wanted to make sure," he pressed.

When Nanao responded with more wordless swishing, he took his opportunity to tease. "Red is so sexy, you know. When I think about you wearing a lovely red-"

"Blue," she snipped, quenching the heat in his imagery.

"Tsk! You went and changed your mind without telling me."

"Since when is my favorite color a priority of the Eighth Division?"

Her pen never missed a beat, but neither did he. "Nanao-chan, isn't there anything you've always wanted, and even though you tried and tried, you just couldn't attain it?"

"Yes."

"Ooh! And what's that?" His eyes sparkled. "A bouquet of rare roses? A ruby the size of your face? Valentine's Day is coming up, you know!" He puckered his lips and flattened his hands atop the desk. The fabric of his pink kimono draped dangerously close to the paperwork she was scribbling on. "A lovely red-"

"No, getting paperwork done in _peace!_ Why do you _insist_ on asking me questions if you're going to answer all of them yourself?"

He pouted. "Those aren't serious answers!"

She set her pen down at last. "I have a lot of work to do, taicho."

He yawned and shook his head. "You should really take a break, lovely." Shunsui strode over to the other side of the room to lounge on his favorite couch, and he could feel her frosty glare following every one of his movements. He knew she _hated_ the little epithets he gave her.

Nanao sighed, though a little too roughly for Shunsui's taste. "I would have _time_ to take a _break_ if a certain _Captain_ pulled his _weight_ around here."

"But you _never_ let me _help_ you, Nanao _-chan!_ "

"That's because you refuse to file documents according to protocol. It makes things impossible to find. It takes me twice as long to correct the work!"

That stung a little, but he just lifted his hat a bit to observe her more fully. "Well, you _do_ look so cute when you're concentrating. It would be a crime to deprive me of the pleasure of witnessing such a studious, dedicated beauty."

To his immense delight, he was rewarded with a subtle blush. In seconds, she hid her face by straightening a stack of long papers, but it was too late. How he lived for that sweet, crimson tint.

He sat up. "Is my Nanao-chan blushing?"

"No," she snapped, carefully straightening the papers and setting them at the corner of the desk. "I'm mad because I'm stuck with the most unprofessional captain in the Gotei 13."

Shunsui nestled back into the cushions, crossing his arms behind his head. "You know you would do anything for me, Nanao-chan. If you didn't feel that way, you would have joined another squad a long time ago."

Shunsui could play the fool all too well, but far from foolish was he. He closed one eye and peeked at her with the other. The pink flush was now morphing into scary red. Just like her favorite color. Or at least, what used to be.

. / . \ .

"I can't stop thinking about her, Jyuu."

Jyuushiro Ukitake noted the hint of sorrow in Shunsui's voice. Jyuushiro's best friend was sprawled across his office couch, voice muffled from speaking beneath the straw cap that was shielding his face from sunlight pouring through an open window.

"Who is it this time?"

A lazy sigh. "I don't know, Jyuu. It's pretty terrible of me."

"Oh, come on. It can't be that bad."

"Oh, it is."

"An upper seat?"

A labored heave from Shunsui.

"A captain? Unohana-senpai?!"

Shunsui wrenched his hat off his face. "No! Not _that_ bad!"

"Well, that's a little harsh."

Shunsui raised his palms upwards in defense. "Look! I'm not saying she's not attractive. I think every man in the Gotei 13 has had a crush on her at some point. But she's not my type. Besides," he lowered his voice. "She's already taken."

"What! She's seeing someone?"

Shunsui eyed Jyuushiro in a an _I'll-kill-you-and-feed-you-to-hollows-if-you-tell-anyone_ sort of way. "I shouldn't have said anything, but...I can't keep it to myself now. You can't tell a SOUL about this one, Jyuu. You probably wouldn't even believe me if I told you."

"I can't imagine her dating anyone. She's been our senpai for so long. She's almost like a mother to us."

"Yeah, well, there's someone who _definitely_ doesn't see her as a mother." Shunsui laughed. "It's pretty bad, Jyuu."

Ukitake's stomach plopped. "Not Komamura!"

Shunsui snorted. "No! Not that bad!"

"Who, then?!"

Jyuushiro was trying _very_ hard to shake a _very_ unwanted image of his senpai with the 7th division captain. He waited with bated breath for Shunsui to recover from his laughing fit. Who could it be?

"Guess."

"Kurotsuchi?"

"No, they hate each other, you know that."

"Hmm…not Kuchiki?"

"No. Honestly, I think he's still hung up on his late wife."

Ukitake thought for a bit. Then his eyes grew wide.

" _No!_ It can't be!"

Shunsui just gave him a conspiratorial smile and nodded.

"Kenpachi _Zaraki?!_ "

Shunsui burst into a fit of giggles.

Ukitake could not contain himself; he joined his friend in his own fit of amusement.

"You're kidding!"

"If I'm lying, I'm dying. I _caught_ them."

Ukitake's eyes grew wider, if that was even possible. They _really_ shouldn't be gossiping like this about Unohana-senpai. But he just couldn't help himself. "Caught them where?"

Shunsui calmed himself a bit before he explained. "I was supposed to deliver some reports to the Eleventh Division. You know me, I would have rather been taking a nap, but Nanao-chan was really busy with paperwork, and the documents were classified, so she made me go deliver them. It was after hours by that time. Anyway, the door was slightly open, so I just assumed it would be OK to walk in." A smirk curled across his face as he recounted the details. "I Kid. You. Not. He had her _trapped against the wall_ , one hand on each side of her, and he was leaning into her real close. And it looked like he just got done telling her something _real_ saucy, because she was blushing _real_ hard. At that point, she noticed me, and as soon as she saw me, she shunpoed straight out the window." Shunsui wiped a tear from his eyes. "I about pissed my pants. I told him he could kill me if anyone ever found out about this. So…for the sake of my life, you can't tell anyone."

"You didn't notice her reiatsu before you walked in?"

"I didn't think that they would be—"

"Good point." Ukitake paused. "And they must have been too distracted to notice you."

They just looked at each other and exploded in laughter again.

"Let me tell you. Getting clobbered by Kenpachi would be worth it, because that was the funniest thing I've ever seen."

"I can't believe it."

"I told you that you wouldn't."

Ukitake shook his head. "The two scariest captains in the Gotei 13. Honestly, it kind of fits."

"You can't be serious, Jyuu."

"I _am_ serious! Opposites attract. She's poised and elegant, and he's a beast of a man. It's almost bound to happen."

Upon hearing that, Shunsui gave him an unreadable look, huffed, and put his hat back over his face.

At once, Ukitake realized what his friend had been trying to tell him at the beginning. "Uh-oh. Shun."

"I told you it was terrible of me."

"Nanao?"

He groaned. "Yeah..."

So. His friend was finally starting to admit his feelings aloud. Jyuushiro had observed the interactions between Shunsui and his lieutenant for years now. The Valentine's Day gifts, the ostentatious displays of affection, and the sting of refusal Shunsui tried to hide behind sake, jesting, women, and those notorious naps of his. He had almost given up on expecting the subject to come up.

"Well, I can't say I'm surprised to hear it. Why are you bringing it up now?"

"I'm not surprised you've suspected all this time. Something happened in the office a few nights ago that has got me thinking that my messaging may have finally gotten across. It's really been doing a number on me."

"What happened?"

"Well, I was lying on my office couch like I usually do, watching her do work, and then I started teasing her like I usually do…"

. / . \ .

"Nanao-chan," Shunsui said, lifting his hat, "it's getting late. You should really get home."

"I can't, taicho. I still have to finish about twenty more forms." She paused to briefly look at him. "But if you want to go, you can go. Really, I'll be fine closing everything up."

"Nonsense." For whatever reason, he was feeling particularly honest that day. Maybe it was those extra cups of sake he'd downed at lunch. Maybe it was the candlelight glow illuminating those furrowed eyebrows of hers, or how soft her face looked after she removed her glasses to ease the strain on her eyes.

"I like watching you work. Your dedication has always impressed me, Nanao-chan."

A smile, ever so slight, made its way across her lips. He prized the rare moments she took his compliments seriously. He stood up from his chair and padded across the room to admire her work, or rather, her, more closely. But as his eyes drifted toward the documents, something caught his eye. An error.

"Nanao-chan, today isn't the 30th. It's the 31st."

"What?"

"The date is wrong."

She glanced over to the top of the page, annoyance in her eyes evident. Usually, she was the one lambasting him over paperwork errors. He briefly thought about gloating, but the snarl coming out of her throat made him reconsider.

She scratched out the date. "I'll have to change every last one of them! This is going to take all night."

Shunsui would have told her to leave it be, but it would have been a waste of energy. Instead he bent over, setting his face dangerously close to her ear. "Why don't you let me help you, Nanao-chan?"

She froze.

Shunsui inhaled an unexpected whiff of the enchanting floral perfume she was wearing. How _delightful!_ His Nanao-chan finally indulging in decadent fragrances! As he took it in, he was surprised to find it was a scent he recognized. He sniffed—loudly—a few more times as he inched towards her neck. Then it hit him. _He'd_ bought her that perfume! He'd gifted it several months back, for Valentine's Day, after his attempt to confirm that her favorite color was red. Despite her insistence to the contrary, he decided to purchase the fragrance anyway. It was called _Sensual Love._ It came in a sexy red bottle shaped like the torso of a buxom woman—none other than the goddess Venus. Barbarous Nanao-chan had hurled it at his head upon opening the gift, dispensing a thunderous rebuke about how "highly inappropriate" this "trinket of lasciviousness" was. Her face had turned the deepest shade of scarlet he'd ever seen.

As he thought about it, he didn't remember her throwing away the perfume after she'd chucked it at him. Did she keep it after all? His heart beat a little more quickly. _Always_ , she'd refused his tokens of affection. It was such a long-running occurrence between them that he'd sadly come to expect it over the years. The fact that she'd accepted one of his romantic advances at last—in secret, no less...

Well, it stunned him.

Her cheeks flushed, and he could see that blood was coloring her ears as she forced herself to continue her work.

"This scent, Nanao-chan…"

She continued scribbling.

Unable to stand being ignored after such a revelation, he moved in closer, to see if she would react. When she would not budge, he realized he was close enough to steal a kiss. He almost prevailed, but she stopped him with a swift whirl and a sharp whack to his face with that wretched fan of hers. He could almost see the smoke fuming out of her ears.

Shunsui jetted his hand to the cheek that was surely reddening by the second. His pride wounded, he forced out a chuckle.

She was seething. "It's not funny."

"Nanao-chan..."

She folded her hands on the table. "I need you to stop."

She did not look him in the eye as she usually did after one of her caustic lashings. This wasn't just anger, he realized, as much as she was trying to play it off as such—he had seen _that_ enough times to know the difference. No, this was something else.

She felt exposed.

She had accepted affection from him, and now he knew. The concept alone was enough to inspire a thousand poems, and he wanted to write every single one of them straightaway. Some distant part of him understood that she was angry, and he should back off, but that _scent_. It was overwhelming him. He was tempted to retreat to the usual ways, to maintain the flimsy wall he'd constructed over the course of their professional relationship, but instead he regarded her with fresh eyes. Perhaps out of sheer optimism at this new revelation, he chose candor.

"You didn't used to mind my attention, Nanao," he murmured. "In earlier times. These days, it...I honestly wonder sometimes whether you even want me around. Do I really bother you that much?"

His tone had shifted, and he knew she would sense it. It wasn't often that he spoke to her so pointedly. Her shoulders sagged. As Nanao turned to face him, her eyes softened, and her face lost all of its edge.

"Taicho, I..."

It was brief, but he caught it. Her eyes had shifted to his mouth for a precious few seconds. She must have realized her mistake, for she never finished her sentence. As she met his gaze again, he heard his own heart throbbing in his ears.

It may have been a fool's hope, but he allowed himself to indulge. It took everything in him not to press her against him and kiss her. His restraint was mainly for his own protection—he was just mercilessly rejected several moments ago, so to press now would be unwise. He usually deserved whatever retaliation he got from her, but in this moment it would have injured him.

Instead, he held her gaze with words unspoken—they both knew the perfume was significant. If he allowed himself to admit it, he'd long grown tired of all the games—the chasing, the jesting. The put-downs. He hid behind his wit, banter, and cloying poetry just as much as she hid behind her temperance and restraint. This was delicate ground. She had opened up part of herself, albeit in secret.

He'd seen that look in a woman's eyes before, but never from Nanao.

This was _very_ delicate ground.

. / . \ .

"I just kind of left after that. But I've been going crazy thinking about it ever since."

"Have things changed between you two?"

"Yeah…she's been avoiding me."

"Hnh."

"Something in her eyes, Jyuu. I _know_ she wanted more. I mean, I know she's been mad at me before, but not like this."

"Hnh."

After a pause, Jyuushiro had an idea. "Why not just tell her how you feel?"

Shunsui blinked. Twice. "Why not just tell her how you _feel_?" he mocked in a quasi-falsetto voice.

"What? I'm serious. If you think something has changed, just attack the problem head on. No dancing around it. No sappy poetry. No games. Nanao isn't the type to tolerate those things."

"You think?" Shunsui said, his tone sarcastic.

"Look, you asked me for help. Think about all the ways in which you've attempted to, I don't know, 'steal her heart,' as you'd say," Ukitake stated, with air quotes to emphasize his point. "How has that been working for you?"

Silence from Shunsui. And then, "You got me."

"If you want Nanao to accept you, you're going to have to put some skin in the game."

"You think flowers, perfume, poetry, and all the things I've done for her isn't putting skin in the game?!"

"No."

"How can you say that?"

"Because you know deep down that those things don't work. At least, not the way you've been doing them. You have nothing to lose, so there's no harm in keeping up the charade. I'm talking about having an honest conversation with her about the truth. She's a straightforward person. She's the type that will only accept something real."

"You don't think everything I've done is real?"

"Well, it clearly isn't getting the message across. You need to communicate with her in a way that she will accept. And that requires honesty. And some vulnerability, I might add."

For the first time in a long time, Jyuushiro saw fear in his best friend's eyes.

"No risk, no reward, Shun."

Shunsui breathed out a deep, dramatic sigh.

"If she refuses you, then at least you tried. It's better than doing nothing, wallowing in this pathetic self-pity, and wondering for the rest of your life what would have happened if you'd have acted differently."

"Just full of wisdom today, aren't you?"

Jyuushiro merely raised an eyebrow in agreement.

"Got any ideas?"

"You might try a letter."

Shunsui laid his head back down and pulled his hat over his face. "She'll just think it's another poem, and she'll burn it with one of her kido spells without even reading it."

"It's all about delivery. And also, no games. No flowery language. It doesn't even have to be wordy. It just has to be true."

"I'll think about it," said Shunsui from under his hat. Sighing once more, he drifted off to sleep.

. / . \ .

Nanao cursed the day she picked up that wretched bottle of perfume!

It all started the night she'd made the grave mistake of picking up the book Matsumoto had given her months ago for her birthday. It was the only kind of book Matsumoto ever read—some trashy romance novel that Nanao would have normally tossed aside, but she needed the mindless distraction during such a pressing week. She was working double shifts due to a cold that was going around, and throughout that week she was unable to fall asleep due to all the stress.

She flew through the pages with the occasional twinge of guilt, reluctantly taking an interest in one of the main characters. Much to her annoyance, this character reminded her of Captain Kyoraku, sappy poems and all. He was not really a lecher like her taicho, but the similarities were there. More irritating was that the female protagonist was a lot like herself. Throughout the book, it became clear that the two hid their feelings for one another to maintain professionalism, and Nanao could not help but root for the two characters to end up together. She began wondering if Matsumoto was trying to send Nanao a message through the book.

Unlike her lascivious captain, however, the main character treated the heroine with respect. He gave her practical gifts like soap and stoneware—things the heroine actually needed. He pulled his own weight, too, unlike some people. Despite the differences, there was a chapter in the book where the heroine received a similar gift as Nanao—perfume. Nanao rolled her eyes but continued to read, staying up until three in the morning to finish the book. As she dozed off, it fell through the space in her headboard so that when she woke up in the morning, she had to dig it out from under her bed.

Perhaps it was the lack of sleep that clouded her normally impeccable judgment, but the following morning, as she retrieved the book, she detected the ruby red bottle of _Sensual Love_ underneath her bed and pulled it out along with the book. She wiped off the thin layer of dust that had collected on the bottle, and with a slight smile on her face, recalled lacing it with kido and hurling it at the Captain's head.

She recalled moving to dump the perfume into the trash, but the bottle's bright crimson sparked her curiosity. She took a quick glance at her unconscious captain, and confident that she had some time, she pumped a tiny bit of it on her finger for a sample.

"Oh, my."

It was exquisite.

She turned the bottle in her hand and was stunned to note that it was a full _parfum_. And in such a sizeable bottle, too. He must have spent a fortune on it, the sentimental fool.

That's when she noticed another unexpected detail. It wasn't just the torso of a naked woman—one of the main reasons she'd deemed the gift so inappropriate—it was an artistic twist on the _Venus de Milo_. In her rage, she'd failed to notice it. The gift was a nod to her love of classical art and Greek mythology, all in a brilliant ruby—her favorite color. The scent, which she could not deny was probably the best perfume she'd ever encountered, led her to seriously think twice about throwing it away.

She shifted her gaze to the floor again, where her Captain was rousing from unconsciousness and muttering incoherently. He had a playful simper on his lips. She eyed the red bottle once more. Every detail about the gift was cleverly strategized, yet he still took the risk that she would reject it in scorn.

Perhaps she _had_ been a bit too harsh.

Before he could awaken, she shunpoed out of the building to her home and stuffed the perfume under her bed. It sat there for months—though she had not forgotten it—until Matsumoto's troublesome book led her to dab a bit of it on her neck before heading to work.

And now her Captain knew.

. / . \ .

Weeks had passed since "the incident" when Shunsui detected the perfume, and since that time, he had been uncharacteristically absent. Though, if Nanao were being honest with herself, it was she who started avoiding him first. When Nanao stopped completing paperwork in his office, he stopped coming around to sleep as she worked. Her embarrassment had yet to wane, so initially she was relieved to discover that he was reciprocating her distancing efforts. A few times, she felt his reiatsu in front her office door. As the nearly imperceptible pause hovered beyond the threshold, her breath would hitch. But he always just moved on, and she'd be alone again.

He stopped asking her if she would join him, Captain Ukitake, and Rangiku for sake. She didn't expect that one to sting quite as much as it did.

Nanao started accepting assignments nearer to other divisions. She also began tending to things she'd been putting off, like rectifying some of the Gotei 13 organizational discrepancies. Most of these assignments required spending more time at the Vice Captain Assembly Room, located in the First Division. For quite a while now she'd been meaning to establish a more effective reporting system and meeting protocols. According to her observations, the Vice Captains wasted _at least_ twenty minutes of every meeting sorting out the futile details of everyone's weekly updates—repetitious incident reports, inconsistent names and dates, chronic failure to redact confidential information, among other offenses. Protocol required that field reports be discussed at the meetings, but many times, the shinigami failed to pay proper attention, so redundant communications were a consistent problem. She would never forget the day _four_ different Vice Captains turned in field reports for the exact same incident: a kerfuffle at the kido school where a brawl between two female trainees resulted in accidentally zapping Vice Captain Omaeda's hair off. The first time hearing about it, Nanao could admit it was a bit amusing, but by the time the fourth lieutenant (Rangiku) had reported on the exact same issue, Nanao was at her wits' end. She excused herself from the meeting and vowed that it would be her mission to eradicate all inefficiencies and counterproductive field reports from the Gotei 13, now and forever!

After weeks of diligent planning, when she finally introduced the new protocols, there were ungrateful groans all around. She nearly broke the pencil she was writing with when Vice Captain Renji Abarai, scratching his head and sniffing, asked, "Oi, what's wrong with the old way of doing reports?"

Nanao's nostrils flared, and an ominous light flashed off of her lenses.

"Just. Do it."

It took some getting used to, but the lieutenants eventually got the hang of the new protocols. She nearly cried with elation when the third meeting with her new codes ended after only twenty minutes.

_An extra hour to myself! The Captain will be proud—_

That was when it hit her. She hadn't had a real conversation with her Captain in weeks. She felt ashamed. Was it time to get over her embarrassment and approach him again? She'd been so focused on the reorganization that she'd lost track of how long it had been since even looking him in the eyes. She blushed as she realized that it had been over a month since having a real conversation with him. Even more alarming was that she realized she was starting to _miss_ his ridiculous antics—maybe not the extreme ones, like making her pick apart rose petals for hours on end—but she couldn't deny that, despite his wretched snoring, it was nice having someone around as she plowed through hours of paperwork.

In less than a minute, she was back at the Eighth. She strolled over to his office, but he was absent.

_Of course_.

And what a sight his office was. Since the incident, he hadn't done any paperwork! Sheaves and sheaves of it were scattered about his desk. Clenching her teeth, she clomped over to the papered mass and just stared at it, shaking her head in disapproval. Reinforcements would need to be called in for this—yet another reason for her to get things straightened out with the Captain. The Division would soon fall apart without her organizational touch.

She was just about to shunpo out when something on his desk caught her eye. A small section of the desk had been cleared off, as though someone had pushed aside stacks of paper to make room to write. Atop the area that was cleared off, there lay two pieces of the Captain's flowery pink stationery, one sheet on top of the other. They appeared to have been crumpled up, as though someone had intended to throw them away but had second thoughts about it. She really would have turned around and left, but written on the topmost piece of paper, in the Captain's neat, old-fashioned calligraphy, was her name.

Her heart skipped.

She tiptoed around the desk, stepping over trash and bottles of sake and food packaging, and bent over the pink papers. It appeared to be a letter…for her. She knew she shouldn't read it, but her unrelenting curiosity got the best of her. 

_Nanao,_

_~~Before you decide to throw this away, you should know that this isn't a poem.~~ I decided I should write to you about the situation with my Valentine's Day gift. I really wanted to tell you this in person, but I didn't want to make you uncomfortable. Every time I wanted to talk to you in your office, I could sense that you would get uneasy, so I decided not to press the issue. You seem like you've been needing space lately, so I wanted to oblige._

Nanao could feel her cheeks growing warm as she continued to read.

_I want you to know that I am not angry with you for avoiding me, though I am a little hurt. You mean a lot to me. And not just as my Vice Captain. Nanao, I've missed you._

Nanao's breath held.

_I care for you. I don't know how else to say it. I know I can get carried away, but you should know that my tokens of affection have always come from a sincere place. You know that I'm not a liar._

_Your hard work, your dedication, and skill—it motivates your subordinates, and me. Your work ethic is second to none and keeps my Division running smoothly. I mean, have you seen my desk lately? Yama-jii has been bragging to me about all the time you've been saving his Vice Captain because of the re-organization stuff. That is the Nanao that inspires me._

Nanao's heart swelled with pride.

_Despite my casual exterior, I am not easily impressed by anyone. But over the years, you have won my admiration and respect. Your intellectual prowess, your voracious curiosity, and your outstanding attention to detail have proved over and over again that I made the correct choice in selecting you as my second. I saw your great potential early on, and you've proven me right._

_I've kept it no secret that I also believe you to be a stunning, beautiful woman. I don't quite remember when my admiration for you developed from professional to romantic. It was probably the day you were instated as my Vice Captain. I'll never forget how you were holding back tears after all of your hard work had paid off._

As Nanao flipped the page, she could feel her throat clenching with emotion. Her induction as Vice Captain was the proudest moment of her life.

_The next day, I tried flirting with you, and as expected, you refused my advances like the professional you are. It was fun for a while, teasing you, but as time went on, I realized that I'd probably ruined it for myself forever. I didn't care. As long as I still had you by my side as my Vice Captain, I could bear that fan of yours. I still can't believe I'm the one who gave you that thing as an instatement gift. What was I thinking? You can be so cruel to me, you know?_

Nanao chuckled aloud, wiping at her eye.

_Even though I want you to accept all my gifts, I really, really hoped you would accept the Venus perfume. It seemed so perfect for you. I really loved the scent, too. I thought it was really ~~sexy~~ exquisite. I did take a risk in giving it to you, so I cannot begin to describe how thrilled I was that you were finally receptive to one of my presents._

_And then you started avoiding me. Though I am a little hurt, the fact that you've been keeping your distance makes me wonder whether, by some incredible stroke of luck, that what I've desired for so long has come true. I've tossed and turned every night since then, mulling over the possibility that I might mean more to you than my role as your Captain. And that is the purpose of this letter. To explain to you in writing what is difficult to express out loud, but also to ask you whether there is even a sliver of a chance that you might accept this undeserving old man as something more._

_I will respect whatever answer you give me, Nanao._

_–Shunsui_

With tears now rolling freely down her face, Nanao set the letter down, carefully replacing the pages so that the letter looked like it had not been touched. Before anyone could see her, she shunpoed home.


	2. Love Letters

Morning sunlight spilled into Nanao's bedroom window, gently coaxing her out of sleep. Rubbing her eyes, she glanced at the clock and groaned. Then she sighed with relief, realizing it was her day off. Then she let out a gasp upon remembering the previous night—and the letter. She struggled through her morning routines, and even after fixing her favorite breakfast of _omurice_ with sausage, her appetite failed her. When she tried to calm her stomach with tea, her belly ached. She lay back down on her bed, attempting to regain some of the sleep she'd lost from the previous evening, to no avail.

He'd written her a love letter. A _true_ love letter. He'd bared his soul, which left her completely defenseless against such an action—and completely unjustified for any form of retaliation.

She should have kept her eyes to herself! What was she to do now? Things could not go on as they always had. Or could they? Perhaps she should just pretend that she'd never read it?

"But what if he gives me the letter?" she mused aloud.

Her stomach flip-flopped.

"What am I to do if he gives me the letter?!"

His words had been so sincere, so…

"Beautiful."

Another set of tears made their way beneath her eyes as the contents of his letter flooded her mind. He had been keen to notice how hard she fought to remain stoic at her induction ceremony. She had always believed that she'd succeeded at keeping it in. Had he really been attentive this long?

Not that he'd ever made a secret about wanting her. But there was always a perceptible bluff to his approach. She had always believed that because of their professional relationship, and because of her own guarded personality, rejection of his ridiculous advances was to be expected. In her mind, this ruled out any possibility of any of it being sincere. And it's not like she was the most beautiful woman around. She'd seen the women he'd date from time to time. Due to his status as one of the most powerful captains in Soul Society, it was not uncommon for gorgeous women to flock to him. She could never compare to women like that. It was so much easier to brush him off, to chalk it up to his lecherous ways.

And pretend none of it was real.

Some part of her, carefully concealed, understood that she'd long desired him. But she was far too afraid of being discarded, of gifting her whole heart and being left with nothing but a painful, unrequited result.

Disbelief, elation, fear, and hope all collided within her in a confusing mass, and Nanao found she was in desperate need of a confidante. She considered telling Rangiku, but as much as she loved her colleague and friend, the Vice Captain of the Tenth Division was terrible at keeping secrets. She could think of no one else.

Unless…

She stood for several moments, debating with herself about whether she should confide in Captain Ukitake about how to approach this delicate situation. Even though he was best friends with her Captain, she knew she could trust in his guidance, and more importantly, his silence. Checking the time again, she hoped the Captain of the Thirteenth Squad would be out on his usual walk today. If he was well, he liked to take a stroll around the grassy hills of Seireitei on beautiful mornings like this. Nanao quickly freshened up, changed her clothes, and shunpoed over to Ukitake's favorite grassy knoll.

Save for an elderly couple, Nanao was disappointed to note that Ukitake's choice hillside was devoid of any souls or shinigami, including the Captain himself. She let out an exasperated sigh and sat on a tree stump for a little while before deciding to walk back down the hill. On a bright day like this, why not take the extra time to enjoy the sunlight? A leisurely walk would calm her nerves.

It was then that she felt it.

The Captain's—her Captain's—reiatsu. He and Ukitake were approaching. If she could sense them, then they could surely sense her, and it would not do at all to make a quick getaway. She blinked twice, steeled herself, and continued her walk.

"Nanao, I thought I sensed you. What a pleasant surprise."

Captain Ukitake's voice was always so soothing to her. His gentle smile put some of her anxiety at ease. She mustered up the strength to meet her own Captain's eyes, who had a look that, for the first time in a long time, she couldn't quite read. She blushed, then silently cursed herself as the corners of Shunsui's mouth rose.

"Ukitake-taicho. Kyouraku-taicho," she greeted, with a nod to each.

"So formal, Nanao-chan."

"I—I'm sorry if I've interrupted your stroll," she said to Ukitake, ignoring her Captain. She could feel her ears start to burn.

"Nonsense. We were actually just talking about your success with the Vice Captain re-org. Yama-jii has decided to adopt your meeting protocols at the Captains' meetings. Apparently, Vice Captain Sasakibe can't stop raving about how much time you've saved him. Yama-jii wants to adopt your new protocols immediately."

Nanao's cheeks were now hot with pride. She was _thrilled_ that the Captain Commander noticed her hard work, but she never would have gotten around to developing the protocol had it not been for the perfume incident. She hoped others in Seireitei would not ask prying questions about why she had accepted so many assignments away from her division.

Nanao-chan merely nodded in response. She could feel Kyoraku's eyes on her, could sense his cheeky grin. She dared to meet his eyes once again and could think of nothing but the letter. He must have noticed something in her demeanor at that moment, for his expression shifted into another one she could not read. Did he suspect? Was he thinking about the incident?

Her lips parted as though to say something, but she could only stand in silence, face hot, hands sweating, and terrified that her Captain could read her thoughts. His eyes seemed to grow more intent on observing her.

"Would you like to finish the walk with us?" Shunsui suddenly asked, with not a single a hint of mischief.

Somehow, Nanao mustered a coherent answer. "Actually, I really do need to get back home. However," she continued, hardly believing she was asking this in front of her Captain, "I was actually looking for you, Ukitake-taicho. I wanted to ask your advice about something."

She did not look at Captain Kyoraku.

"Of course. What is it?"

"It's…I would prefer to discuss it in private."

"Nanao-chan is keeping secrets from me?"

Nanao's eyes shot to Shunsui. There was an irritating twinkle in his eye.

"It's just some protocol details," she lied, eyes darting away from his. She was terrible at fibbing, and she could see the knowing smile growing on her Captain's face in her peripheral vision. "In—in case you were thinking about administering it at your staff meetings."

"That actually doesn't sound like a bad idea. I'll be in my office around noon today, if you wanted to stop by."

"Thank you, Ukitake-taicho," she said with a nod of her head and not a little hint of relief. "Well, I'd better head home."

She glanced once more at her Captain, bowed her head, and shunpoed away.

. / . \ .

"What that was about?" Jyuushiro wondered aloud after Nanao made her departure.

"Hell if I know. That's the first time we've spoken in probably weeks. One thing's for sure. She wouldn't turn that shade of red over meeting protocol. Something has happened in Nanao-chan's world, and I'm dying to know what it is."

"Weeks? Shunsui, did you write the letter?"

"Kind of."

"Kind of?"

"I wrote a letter, then crumbled it up."

"You threw it away?"

"Yeah, but then I dug it out of the trash. It's sitting on my desk right now, but after today, I'm probably going to toss it for good. If my knowing that she kept the Valentine's Day gift has these types of effects, she'd probably transfer over to the First Division the day after reading whatever I write. With Yama-jii beside himself over all her organizational stuff, she'd get promoted to Third Seat in a week."

The two walked in silence for a while. After several minutes, Jyuushiro spoke. "Do you remember Rei?"

"That raven-haired hottie you almost proposed to?"

"Yes. I don't have many regrets in this life, but my decision with her is one of them."

"You never talked about it much. And I didn't want to pry."

"I know. My health was just starting to take a turn for the worse at the time. Sickness among shinigami is rare, as you know, and as the healers couldn't figure out what was wrong with me, I didn't want Rei to be stuck with me in case I got debilitatingly sick. Well, that was a long time ago, and though things haven't been perfect, it hasn't turned out as bad as I feared it would. When I broke things off with her, I didn't give her the real reason because I was too scared and embarrassed to tell her the truth. I didn't want her pity, and I didn't want her to waste her time with a sick man."

Shunsui responded in silence.

"My point is, I should not have made the decision for her. I should have told her the truth and let her decide for herself."

After a few moments, Shunsui smiled. "Hnh. Since when did you become a better love coach than me?"

"I'd hardly call your drunken escapades 'love,' Shunsui."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'll think about it."

. / . \ .

Captain Ukitake sat at his desk, organizing a few papers and signing a few forms requiring his immediate attention. A knock at his door broke his concentration.

"Come in, Nanao."

The door slid open, and Nanao walked in, giving him a single nod.

"Thank you for making time to see me, Ukitake-taicho."

"Please, have a seat."

Nanao looked visibly nervous. She refused to look at him straight in the eye. She walked over to his desk, sat in the large, plush chair across it, and set her enormous book atop her lap.

"Is everything OK, Nanao?"

"Ukitake-taicho, you must forgive me."

Ukitake raised an eyebrow.

"I did not come to see you about the new protocols. I can give you some additional instruction if you'd like, of course, but that was not my true purpose in wanting to speak with you. Forgive me for fibbing earlier, but…" She fiddled with her collar a bit before continuing. "I wanted to talk with you about something I've recently discovered."

It took but two seconds before Jyuushiro figured it out. "You found the letter."

Nanao turned a horrified shade of pink. "You—you _know_ about the _letter_?"

He let out a chuckle. "I'm the one who told him to write it."

Nanao jerked backwards. Her mouth dropped open before raising a hand to her mouth.

"He told me about the perfume incident. He wanted to tell you about his feelings, but he was worried it would scare you away. So I told him to be honest with you, and that a letter would probably be the easiest way for him to get his point across. He _does_ have a thing for love letters, after all."

Nanao was silent for a while. Her eyes were fixated on a paperweight on his desk.

"In all honesty, it was the most beautiful thing I've ever read." She gave a slight smile. "It was so—so honest. Unlike anything I've ever received from him. No pretense at all."

"Good, that means he followed my advice." He smiled. "But, you should know he is planning on throwing it away. He's too scared you'll run away and join Yama-jii's Division."

Her face fell a little. "I honestly have thought about that. But I can't just stay."

"Why not?"

"I'd just be giving him the wrong impression."

"Wrong impression? I thought it was pretty obvious the feeling was mutual."

Nanao's eyes widened. Her cheeks flushed the same shade of red as their earlier encounter on the hills.

"Sir…"

"I know it isn't my place to pry, Nanao. But it wouldn't do to ignore your feelings forever."

She shifted in her seat.

"I don't mean to make you feel uncomfortable. But you came here to get my advice. And it does seem to me that you have been in denial about this just as much as he has. I've observed the two of you for quite a while. We are in times of peace now. There really isn't a reason why you shouldn't approach him about this and see where the conversation leads."

"But he's my _Captain_!"

"So transfer to the First."

"But the Eighth would fall apart!"

"So stay in the Eighth."

Nanao stared at him as though he had two heads. Jyuushiro knew she had yet to fully accept her feelings, let alone the idea of a romantic relationship with a superior.

"You can give it some time. But, I do suggest at least telling him that you know. Doing otherwise for very long would be bad form, even in Shunsui's case."

"How? _How_ can I even begin to approach this topic?"

He grinned.

"Why don't you write him a letter?"

. / . \ .

After speaking with Ukitake, Shunsui tore up the letter he'd written and threw it out without a second thought. His plan was to write another one. A better one. He wrote the first one in haste, jotting down whatever had popped in his head. It wasn't terrible—it was honest, but he wanted to take additional time to write something more substantive. A confession to his Nanao deserved time and effort, and he didn't want to screw it up.

Since running into Nanao on the verdant hills of Seireitei, things had gotten worse between them. She was now avoiding the Eighth Division entirely, spending all her time at the First, finalizing the protocol handbook for the Captains' meetings. Other subordinates were starting to ask questions, but he just brushed it off.

"First Division priorities mandate her presence, but she will be returning to her regular duties soon," he would reply, more to convince himself than anyone else.

About a week after Nanao ran into him on the hillside, he was lounging on the sofa in his office, drifting off to sleep. He was about twenty minutes into his nap when his sharp ears detected a shuffle nearby, along with a familiar reiatsu. He slowly opened an eyelid, and indeed, there was Nanao, with a red envelope in hand. His other eyelid flew open.

"Nanao-chan?"

She snapped her head up at him, gave a slight gasp, dropped the letter, and shunpoed out the door.

Shunsui shot to his feet and darted over to where she'd just stood, only to see her heading like lightning in the direction of her house. He made to go after her, but not before he remembered the envelope. Shunsui spun around and walked over to his desk. He spotted the envelope on the floor, picked it up and turned it over. In Nanao's immaculate handwriting, that he would recognize anywhere, was his name. His curiosity was rising by the second, but he was a bit nervous about what might lie inside. He tore open the envelope and pulled out a piece of neatly folded cream stationery.

"Nanao-chan has written me a letter."

He began to read.

_Taicho,_

_First, I'd like to start off by apologizing for my cowardice. I didn't know how to get this message across, and a letter seemed to be the best way. A dear friend of yours gave me the suggestion._

_Please do not be angry with me for what I am about to tell you. After one of my recent Vice Captain meetings, I went over to the Eighth to see you, but you weren't there. I was staring at the atrocity on your desk, and it just so happened that some pink stationery caught my eye. Please forgive me for prying, but it was an accident. I noticed my name, and I could not help myself. I read your letter._

Kyoraku's heart stopped as his eyes broke away from the paper. He took a deep breath and lowered his hand to the side, the letter loosely hanging between his fingers.

"She knows everything."

He felt his knees weaken and his heart throb. He needed to sit down, but first he darted his eyes around the room. Once he found what he was looking for, he zoomed over to it—the bottle of sake he'd purchased earlier that day—picked it up, and sat down on the sofa. He set the letter down next to him, opened the bottle of sake, and took a long swig, grimacing as the cool liquid streamed down his throat. He glanced at the letter, shook his head, and took another long swig.

He took a deep breath, picked up the letter again, and continued to read.

_It was a beautiful letter, taicho._ _I was touched by your honesty. It's true that I kept your perfume. It's also true that it was a perfect gift. I hadn't noticed the details until after you passed out. Though I still believe it to be an inappropriate gift for a subordinate, I am touched by the amount of thought that went into it. You also must have spent a fortune on it. Thank you._

_I must admit, I was very embarrassed once you found out that I'd kept it, because keeping the gift would have meant sending you a message. A message that I was not ready to give._

Kyoraku's heartbeat took another pause. His suspicions had been right. He ran his hand through his hair, hardly believing the words written on the page.

_After reading your letter, things changed. Because I know where you stand, I now feel safer telling you where I stand. I have gone back and forth about it, and I must tell you that I have qualms about a romance with you while remaining your lieutenant. I do not want to give your other subordinates the impression that I am favored in any way, or that I attained my position through anything but hard work. I also must recognize that it means things would change between us. It would be new territory for me in more ways than one, and I can't deny that I am a little scared. However, despite my reservations about a romance, I also must be honest and say that I am not uncertain about my feelings for you._

Kyoraku's hands were all but trembling.

_To answer the question in your lovely letter, yes, there is a chance. I do not believe you to be undeserving. I do not know what the correct pathway forward is, but I am willing to navigate new territory with you._

_-Nanao_

Kyoraku was overwhelmed with emotion. He felt a simultaneous wave of relief and adrenaline sweep over him, as the years and _years_ of anticipation came to a head in such an unexpected revelation. He tilted his head back, sagged his shoulders and let out a merry laugh.

"Nanao-chaaaan!"

Very soon, a sly grin made its way across his mouth. He carefully folded the letter and tucked it safely in one of his desk drawers. Positioning his hat, he cast his eyes in the direction of Nanao's apartment and shunpoed his way there as fast as his reiatsu would allow.


	3. Forfeit

Nanao peered into the mirror, hardly recognizing the face staring back at her.

"Are you sure this isn't too much?"

"Ho- _ney_ ," Rangiku chastised, " _This_ is your _first date_ with _Shunsui_. He's head over heels for you, so a makeover will just make you all the more irresistible! Trust me."

Upon learning that Nanao and Shunsui were "finally" going to be an item, Matsumoto offered—or rather, foisted—her services onto Nanao.

"You HAVE to let me help you pick out an outfit! Please! And you HAVE to let me do your make up! And you _HAVE_ to let me style your hair!"

There were a lot of things that Matsumoto felt she HAD to do, Nanao noted. She didn't have the heart to refuse, though she regretted her acquiescence as soon as she had uttered the word "okay."

Nanao had to admit that the idea of going on any sort of social outing with the Captain gave her a bit of an anxiety attack. And while she did want to look appealing, it took quite a bit of haggling to convince Matsumoto that the electric pink mini-mini skirt and matching crop top was just a tad too much. Eventually, the two women settled on a red _qipao_ -style dress that was slightly more fitted than Nanao would have liked, and with a slit slightly higher than Nanao would have normally allowed. But as soon as she tried it on, even she could see that it looked stunning on her. And, well, she had a feeling that the Captain would love it. She couldn't help but smile at the thought of teasing him just by virtue of wearing the dress.

The eyebrow plucking was probably the worst part of it, but all in all, Nanao was surprised to find she enjoyed the pampering, despite Rangiku's persistent squealing. It took more haggling to convince her not to go overboard with the makeup and hair. Simple curls, a bit of black on the eyes, and natural cheeks would do. But Matsumoto _insisted_ on fiery red lipstick to match the dress.

"You just _can't_ do the smoky eye without it! Especially with a dress like that!"

"But I want the Captain to recognize me!"

"The hell you do! Look, he's _already_ seen you in uniform, in battle, and rolling into work after no sleep and cleaning him up after a hangover. Why not shine tonight by accentuating your inner beauty with your outer beauty?"

"But I'm not beautiful, Rangiku."

"What kind of nonsense is _that_? I would _kill_ for shiny straight hair like yours! Do you have any idea how much work it takes to keep this mane of mine under control? I've seriously thought about chopping it off so many times! And your skin is so smooth! I literally have to scrub my face every night and lather on the night cream so I don't get any zits! Honey, all of _this_ ," Rangiku said, gesturing from head to toe, "takes _work._ But you know what you already have?"

Nanao just blinked.

"Why do you think he likes you? Because you know _exactly_ who you are. All you need is a little confidence. And when we put in a little effort to look our best, it really does boost our confidence. With that kind of attitude, and your stunning makeover thanks to _moi,_ he'll find you _irresistible_. Men always find confidence irresistible. Trust me."

Nanao couldn't really argue with that. And when it came to the subject of men, she had to admit that it was an area of knowledge in which Matsumoto bested her.

After several hours of transformative aesthetics, Matsumoto was shedding legitimate tears.

"I'm so proud of myself!"

After her obligatory chorus of thanks, Nanao admitted, "I don't know how to act. All of this is so new to me. After I gave him the letter, he was at my house in less than thirty minutes! He asked me to dinner today, and he didn't even give me a chance to say yes before he shunpoed away. That man hasn't given me any time to prepare myself."

"You're overthinking this. Just be yourself."

"That's reassuring," Nanao said dryly.

A knock on the door interrupted them.

_It's him._

"It's him!" Matsumoto echoed, as though reading Nanao's mind.

"Quick! Hide!"

"Nanao, he'll sense my reiatsu!"

"I don't care! Hide!"

With Matsumoto safely stuffed in the restroom, Nanao took one more glance at the mirror and headed over to open the door.

The Captain's mouth draped open the moment he laid eyes on her. After all her years working for him, this was the first time she could ever recall him being speechless. Maybe she should have done this a long time ago.

"Taicho," was all she said, a shy smile spreading across her lips.

He took her in, from the top of her head to the soles of her feet. He cleared his throat and seemed to struggle with finding words. "Nanao, you—"

"SHE LOOKS AMAZING!" came Matsumoto's squeal from inside the bathroom.

Nanao grimaced, gesturing towards the door. "Rangiku assisted."

Shunsui only nodded, his eyes fixed on Nanao's face. She started to feel her cheeks tingling, so she excused herself to go grab her purse, ever conscious of the slit at the side of her dress. Curse Matsumoto and her fashion style! When she returned to the doorway to meet the Captain, his familiar, mischievous smile had swept across his face.

"I _love_ that red lipstick on you," he murmured.

The statement was genuine, but Nanao wrestled with the compliment. It was new and awkward, accepting what he was saying without reprimand. Normally she'd brush him off or give him a hard tap with her fan for such forwardness, but here she was, one foot out the door for a night of romance with him. Decorum dictated that she should be polite. She mumbled her thanks in a quiet voice, and her heart fluttered when his eyes brightened.

His tone softened a bit more. "And you're wearing the perfume."

"Yes, I actually quite love the scent. It also…" she paused. "It reminds me of you whenever I wear it."

Nanao could swear she saw a slight flush to his cheeks at that. The energy between them had shifted into something different…and it was unexpectedly comfortable. An ancient, impeding wall was swiftly crumbling, with the two of them standing at the threshold of an uncharted domain.

Their stroll was slow. They took their time walking the lesser-known pathways of the city to wherever destination they were headed. Nanao had no idea what the end point was, but she couldn't care less. As they walked and talked, she was enjoying just being in his company. She also couldn't help but sneak glances in his direction. Notably, he'd discarded the pink haori for a navy blue dress shirt and tan slacks. His hair was a little more neatly tied back than usual, and perhaps most striking of all, he'd cleaned up his facial hair so that the lines of his goatee were more pronounced. As she gazed at him, she allowed herself to acknowledge that he looked…quite handsome.

"Is there something on my face?"

"What?"

"You keep staring at me."

She flushed. "I do not."

"I don't mind at all. And, well, it just makes us even, because I haven't been able to keep my eyes off you tonight."

Nanao just stared dumbly at him, her cheeks ablaze.

Shunsui raised a corner of his mouth in a half smile. "It's so nice being able to tell you about how beautiful you are without getting smacked in the face with a sharp object, Nanao."

She flushed harder. She was about to respond to him when he abruptly stopped walking.

"We're here."

"Here? Where?"

The street was poorly lit, but they stopped in front of what looked like an abandoned coffee shop. It looked to Nanao like it hadn't been in business for years. Shunsui walked over to the door and rapped three times. To Nanao's amazement, someone behind the door rapped back with another three taps. Shunsui responded with two. Then, a reply of two quick knocks from the other side. Finally, one last knock from Shunsui and the responder.

The door opened and a shinigami in an odd-looking uniform greeted them both. She recognized this lower-seat from the Twelfth Division.

Nanao turned to the Captain. "What is this place?"

A wily smile made its way across his lips. "You'll see."

Shunsui and Nanao followed the lower-seat to a darkened room. Scattered around them was a sea of tables covered in black tablecloths, with ebony chairs neatly paired across each table. The primary source of light in the room was a single, bright candle placed in the center of each table, though there were also a few lamps peppered across the walls for extra illumination. Most noticeable was the set up at the front of the room—a small stage with a wooden stool and a tall stand holding a black microphone.

Nanao's eyes wandered admiringly as they took their seats. "How is it that I've never known about this place? Is someone performing tonight?"

"Maybe," Shunsui smirked. "I've been wanting to take you here for a while."

"Why didn't you tell me about it before? You're always inviting me out to sake with the upper seats."

He cleared his throat. "A long time ago, I decided I'd only take a woman here if I was really interested in her."

"Oh."

As time passed, more souls trickled in. Nanao was relieved to find she didn't recognize anyone else, and even more grateful that the Captain had chosen not to wear his uniform. It made things feel more open. Shunsui ordered an appetizer, and when he offered to buy a bottle of wine for the table, Nanao agreed, but only on one condition.

"You have to promise you won't get drunk."

Despite the dim light, Nanao could see Shunsui's eyes twinkle. "There isn't a sacrifice too large for my Nano-chan."

Her eyes twitched in annoyance at his honorific, but she let it pass.

As the evening went on, and a series of performers took the stage, Nanao soon understood that the Captain had taken her to a poetry event. They munched on appetizers and sipped wine as the poets showcased their impressive skills. Some appeared to be scheduled speakers, but every once in a while, others from the crowd volunteered. Just as the waiter arrived with their entrees, the emcee made a shocking announcement.

"It is my greatest pleasure, and indeed, a great honor, that we should welcome a talent that we've not heard in probably over a decade. We all know him as a regular patron, and as many of you are aware, he has stepped in on more than one occasion as we were on the brink of bankruptcy. We at Shijin House are strong believers in developing local talent. We're ever grateful, and proud and excited, to finally have our own," he said, making a grand gesture in Nanao's general direction, "Captain of the Eighth Division, Kyouraku-taicho!"

Nanao's jaw dropped, her rice-packed chopsticks held midair. The audience roared to life at an intensity unlike any she'd heard all night. The Captain, oddly, averted his gaze from her as he pushed his chair back and walked to the front of the stage. Nanao gulped down the rice and set her chopsticks back on the holder, staring intensely at the man now positioning himself in front of the microphone. Nanao had suffered through countless "poems" in all her years serving at the side of the taicho. Not once had she suffered through an entire recitation, as each one generally ended with her book or fan lobbed at the Captain's face. She hoped against hope he wasn't about to embarrass her with one of his "favorites"—a lecherous rendition of _Make You Feel My Love._ He was imaginative with his language, she had to give him that.

The dim light cast dark shadows across the Captain's sharp features and long silhouettes across the floor. He appeared solemn. Sober. "I'd like to dedicate this to my companion for the night," Shunsui began, meeting Nanao's eyes at last. "I wrote it recently, after a friend knocked me to my senses. I call it, 'Forfeit.'"

Nanao's breath hitched. She braced herself for a night of discomfort and embarrassment, regretting her decision to have ever agreed to an outing with him. Her hands balled into fists and she narrowed her eyes in preparation for the barrage of cloying carnality surely headed her way.

_"We desire to win what we can't obtain_

_Many mornings, I've nearly forfeited_

_But the inspiration of your resolve_

_The motivation from your diligence_

_Your striking beauty and feminine grace_

_Womanly tenor and that punchy sass_

_Can you blame me for wanting to win you?_

_When you think I'm playing with you, you're right_

_But not in the way that you think that I am_

_I've kept it up, and you've stayed by my side_

_By playing, I win. By winning, you stay_

_So if I stop playing these wicked games_

_Fold, and drop this old poker face of mine,_

_You'd win, and that means I'd be losing—you."_

A round of snapping and hooting concluded his sonnet. Nothing inappropriate. It was raw and real; the poem was clever, too, though not anywhere near his best. But Nanao soon learned he was just getting started. He recited about ten different poems in total, each with their own theme, and each one cleverer than the last. Refreshingly, few were about her. Nanao rather liked this artistic version of the Captain. Why did he waste all his time on lascivious rubbish if he could write like this? Then she remembered the last few lines of his first poem.

_By opening himself up to me, he would have risked losing me_.

While she still disapproved of his past "works," she gained a new appreciation for their meaning.

When Shunsui reached the end of his performance, the audience roared once more. Nanao opted to stand, along with a few others. Shunsui noticed. He locked his eyes on hers as she smirked at him, slightly shaking her head as if to say, "You sneaky dog. Why couldn't you have recited _those_ poems to me all these years? I would have tolerated you more."

Shunsui made his way to the table and said not a word to her as he sat down. By that time, his entree had gotten cold, but the restaurant replaced his meal as a courtesy. As Shunsui was the final performer of the night, restaurant patrons began trickling out, some stopping to chat with the Captain.

"I've really missed hearing you, hon. Has it really been ten years since you've performed?" said one shapely woman, leaning in a little too close to him.

"You've gotta come back next week! Ol' Gama-ji's performing! You guys could do your famous Casanova routine!" said one man.

"Nice work tonight, Kyoraku-san. _Loved_ the big motif changes. I've been waiting for you to move past that… _flowery_ phase of yours. It shows you've grown and showcases what you can _really_ do," said an older woman.

At that last one, Shunsui gave a slight bow to his head. "That's quite a compliment coming from you, Tsukikage-san!"

"Don't let it go to your head, sonny." She glanced at Nanao, gave the Captain a slight wink, and stalked off.

When the clamor died down, Shunsui ate his meal in peace. Nanao had already finished hers throughout his performance. She twirled a glass of wine around and pursed her lips.

"Casanova routine?"

Shunsui nearly choked. "Oh, trust me, you don't want to hear that. It was a phase I went through… _A Series of_ _Suggestive Limericks_. It was kind of a comedy act, nothing you'd be interested in."

"Oh? What makes you think I don't like comedy?"

"Not this kind of comedy."

"I actually remember you getting up a while back—wow, maybe it really was ten years ago—and reciting a bunch of appalling poems at one of the sake bars in town." She shook her head disapprovingly. "You were drunk, of course, but that didn't stop the crowd from cheering you on."

He gave her a teasing grin. "Naturally."

Nanao narrowed her eyes and took another sip of wine.

Shunsui took a few more bites. He appeared to be deep in thought about something. "So. Nanao-chan likes comedy?"

"What's so surprising about that?"

"Well, now I'm curious about what kind of comedy you like."

"Oh, you know."

"I actually don't." He leaned back in his chair. "I can't imagine you like slapstick. I could see you enjoying a lot of dry humor, but something tells me that's not what you're thinking of. Obviously you're not a fan of the risqué modern stuff."

"Obviously."

He thought for several more moments. "I'd peg you at something like old fashioned sit-coms."

Her jaw dropped. "My, my. You're right. I do like dry humor, but the old sit-coms have a classic appeal."

Nanao was impressed. Though surprised to learn of her tastes, the Captain had immediately guessed them. Nanao was embarrassed to realize that she couldn't do the same. She thought back to the perfume he'd given her, how it seemed like second nature for him to identify her tastes with such accuracy, even though it was a gift she never would have chosen for herself. How deeply had the Captain been paying attention all this time?

Shunsui scanned her face. "What is Nanao thinking about?"

Nanao could feel the heat flushing throughout her face. In the soft light, she hoped he wouldn't notice. She was compelled to give him one of her customary biting retorts, but after such a performance, and after such a lovely (and fun) night, she knew it would be more respectful to oblige. "I didn't realize how much you've noticed about me all these years. I'm touched, Captain."

It was charming, really, the Captain's expression of surprise. He finished the rest of his meal in silence and a grin, with Nanao wordlessly finishing off the rest of her glass. She paid her compliments to the waiter when he returned with the bill, conscious of Shunsui's delight when she mentioned she was excited to return.

"Next Saturday?"

"I'll have to check my calendar. There's a lot of paperwork in that wretched office of yours that needs to get done. It's over a month overdue."

In all her years of fending off his advances, Nanao had never seen him deflate so fast. "Nanao-chan, you've officially just killed this evening."

"Well then, we'd better get moving."

. / . \ .

Like the rest of dinner, their stroll home was quiet but companionable. Shunsui, despite the years-long, near inaccessible wait for his Vice Captain, was still acclimating to a changing dynamic between them. The initial jolt from her appearance left him breathless, and it took a great deal of restraint throughout the night not to kiss those captivating, ruby red lips. He had to keep reminding himself that this was _Nanao._ He had to meet her where she was, or else he could risk losing her. Navigating the initial walk, the poetry, and the meal had given him something to focus on, but now that they were walking home, he agonized over whether he would dare follow through with the daunting task of brushing his lips against hers.

_No, not tonight_. He would wait. As long as he needed.

As they reached her living quarters, she shocked him again with her new candidness. He was swiftly coming to love it.

"I truly enjoyed the experience tonight, Captain."

He really needed to stop staring at her mouth. That cursed fan was sure to be hidden somewhere in her purse.

"Thank you for a lovely evening," she said. "I'll be, um—"

The pitch in Nanao's voice was rising noticeably higher. Though he adored the womanly tone of her normal speaking voice, this new, sweet sound was signaling that he had succeeded in winning her admiration for the night. She fiddled with her purse a bit, as though searching for something. She met his eyes, and he could sense that there was fear behind them. Was she nervous, too? Why? She had nothing to worry about.

"I, um…"

He narrowed his eyebrows a bit, trying to understand. "What is it, Nanao?"

She moved a lock of hair behind her ear and gave him a brief glance. After some more fiddling, she pulled her keys out of her purse and mumbled, "Found them."

He gave her a nod. He would wait until she locked the door behind her before leaving. He smiled as she turned to the door, blissful that the night had ended on such a triumphant note. He was already planning where he was going to take her next, when Nanao spun around.

"Forget some—"

But Shunsui never finished his sentence, because faster than he ever could have dreamed, Nanao planted the sweetest, most tender, hesitant, and absolutely _delicious_ kiss on his lips. It took him a few seconds to grasp what was happening, and for the first time in centuries, he had no idea what to do with a woman. Should he put his hands on her waist? Do nothing? Hold her? Do nothing? Respond more assertively? _Do nothing?_

A soft sigh from Nanao.

That was all it took to give him courage. Natural responses soon substituted his clumsiness, and he just moved. His hands first, then his arms as they held her close, then his lips, savoring hers. She responded in kind, perfectly—he couldn't have imagined it any better. She kissed exactly how he loved to be kissed. Despite all of his flamboyant antics, he went crazy for tempered, yet intentional movements like the ones Nanao was gifting him.

And just as swiftly as it started, it was over. In a lingering move, she pulled away. It was over much too soon for his liking, but he would wait eagerly for the next one. Nanao, flushing prettily, imparted a high-pitched adieu before retreating into her apartment.

And their first date was over.

The Captain, too full of energy to retire for the night, shunpoed in circles around Seireitei for a while. He eventually found himself on Ukitake's favorite hillside. The night was crisp, the moon aglow, and the Captain understood a little better why his best friend often preferred this spot for his reflections. A new chapter of Shunsui's life had begun this evening, and it all started with the very good decision of bestowing a scandalous little Valentine's Day gift upon his austere, taciturn, and unrelenting Vice Captain.

And Christmas was soon on its way.

* * *

. / Fin \ .


End file.
